Food products containing elevated levels of whole grain are recommended by the 2010 dietary guidelines published by the USDA because whole grains are a good source of nutrients of concern. For adults, these nutrients include calcium, potassium, fiber, magnesium, and vitamins A (as carotenoids), C, and E. However, consumption of whole grain foods has lagged mainly due to certain qualities of whole grain foods, such as coarse, gritty appearance and texture from the whole grain flour ingredient typically available for use. More recently, commercial whole grain wheat flours are marketed with reduced particle size. However, baked goods made from the whole grain flours still exhibit a dry, grainy mouth-feel and a “wheaty,” grainy, or hay taste or flavor, and low amounts of brown, caramelized baked flavor.
Steam or other heat sources are used to inactivate enzymes such as lipase and lipoxygenase in whole grains. Inactivation of lipase or lipoxygenase may also be achieved by heating a bran fraction or bran component to obtain a stabilized bran component and then combining the stabilized bran component with an endosperm fraction or component to obtain a stabilized whole grain flour. However, heating of whole grains or bran fraction or bran component to inactivate enzymes does not assure elimination of a wheaty, grainy taste and attainment of improved texture and flavor in baked goods. Also, heating of whole grains to inactivate enzymes to obtain a stabilized whole grain flour can result in excessive gelatinization of starch or may denature proteins and adversely affect gluten network development. The excessive gelatinization or interruption of gluten network production can adversely affect dough machinability, and flour functionality in baked goods such as cookies and crackers in terms of solvent retention capacity and oven spread.
Accordingly, there is a long felt need for a method of producing bran and germ components and whole grain flours which do not exhibit a wheaty or raw taste, or a rancid taste or odor, but which exhibit a buttery, nutty caramelized taste and non-gritty texture, and excellent dough machinability and baking functionality, without substantial interruption of gluten network production, as well as stabilization against enzymatic degradation.